CO2 capture from dilute sources

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11707707-B2
Application number	US-202217884383-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2022
Priority date	Jan 2, 2019
Publication date	Jul 25, 2023
Grant date	Jul 25, 2023

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for separation of CO2 from dilute source streams. The systems and methods for the separation can include use of contactors that correspond radial flow adsorbent modules that can allow for efficient contact of CO2-containing gas with adsorbent beds while also facilitating use of heat transfer fluids in the vicinity of the adsorbent beds to reduce or minimize temperature variations. In particular, the radial flow adsorbent beds can be alternated with regions of axial flow heat transfer conduits to provide thermal management. The radial flow structure for the adsorbent beds combined with axial flow conduits for heat transfer fluids can allow for sufficient temperature control to either a) reduce or minimize temperature variations within the adsorbent beds or b) facilitate performing the separation using temperature as a swing variable for controlling the working capacity of the adsorbent.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for performing a separation on a dilute CO 2 -containing feed, comprising:
passing a feed comprising a CO 2 content of 5000 vppm or less and a first H 2 O content into a radial flow adsorbent bed module comprising alternating adsorbent bed sections comprising adsorbent beds and heat transfer sections to form adsorbed CO 2 and a CO 2 -depleted stream, the adsorbent beds comprising a bed inner surface that faces a central axis of the radial flow adsorbent bed module and a bed outer surface at a larger radial distance from the central axis than the bed inner surface, the heat transfer sections comprising a transfer section inner surface that faces a central axis of the radial flow adsorbent bed module and a transfer section outer surface at a larger radial distance from the central axis than the transfer section inner surface, the heat transfer sections further comprising axial flow conduits for passing heat transfer fluids in proximity to the adsorbent bed sections, the bed inner surfaces and the transfer section inner surfaces defining a central volume, the adsorbent beds comprising one or more adsorbents having amine functional groups, the feed being passed through the adsorbent beds under adsorption conditions at a first temperature and substantially along a radial direction of the radial flow adsorbent bed module;
desorbing at least a portion of the adsorbed CO 2 in the presence of a purge gas under desorption conditions to form a CO 2 -enriched purge gas comprising a CO 2 content greater than the CO 2 content of the feed, the desorption conditions comprising at least one of a desorption temperature higher than the first temperature and an H 2 O content in the purge gas that is greater than the first H 2 O content, the purge gas being passed through the adsorbent beds substantially along the radial direction of the radial flow adsorbent bed module; and
passing, during the adsorbing and the desorbing, one or more heat transfer fluids through the heat transfer sections substantially along an axial direction of the radial flow adsorbent bed module.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feed is passed into the radial flow adsorbent bed module through the outer surfaces of the adsorbent bed sections, or wherein the purge gas is passed into the radial flow adsorbent bed module through the outer surfaces of the adsorbent bed sections, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feed is passed into the central volume of the radial flow adsorbent bed module, or wherein the purge gas is passed into the central volume of the radial flow adsorbent bed module, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more heat transfer fluids comprise steam.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein passing the feed into a radial flow adsorbent bed module comprises passing the feed into a plurality of radial flow adsorbent bed modules.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of radial flow adsorbent bed modules are arranged in a Napoleon configuration.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of radial flow adsorbent bed modules are arranged in an annular Napoleon configuration comprising a common central annular volume.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the desorption conditions comprise displacement desorption conditions, the H 2 O content in the purge gas being greater than the first H 2 O content, and wherein a difference between an average adsorbent bed temperature at the end of the adsorption step and an average adsorbent bed temperature at the end of the desorption step is 5° C. or less.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the desorption conditions comprise displacement desorption conditions, the H 2 O content in the purge gas being greater than the first H 2 O content, and wherein a) a difference between an average adsorbent bed temperature at the beginning of the adsorption step and an average adsorbent bed temperature at the end of the adsorption step is 5° C. or less, b) a difference between an average adsorbent bed temperature at the beginning of the adsorption step and an average adsorbent bed temperature at the end of the adsorption step is 5° C. or less, or c) a combination of a) and b).

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adsorption conditions comprise temperature swing adsorption conditions, and wherein i) a difference between an average adsorbent bed temperature at a beginning of the adsorption step and an average adsorbent bed temperature at the end of the adsorption step is 10° C. or less, ii) a difference between an average adsorbent bed temperature at a beginning of the desorption step and an average adsorbent bed temperature at the end of the desorption step is 10° C. or less, or iii) a combination of i) and ii).

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more adsorbents having amine functional groups comprise metal organic framework adsorbents.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more adsorbents having amine functional groups comprise amine functionalized adsorbents, double amine functionalized adsorbents, or a combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inner surfaces of the adsorbent beds comprise arcuate surfaces, or wherein the outer surfaces of the adsorbent beds comprise arcuate surfaces, or a combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising introducing the CO 2 -enriched purge gas into a bio-reactor for biomass growth.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the passing the feed through the adsorbent beds under adsorption conditions and passing the purge gas through the adsorbent beds under desorption conditions comprise simulated moving bed conditions.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the CO 2 -depleted stream comprises a temperature greater than the first temperature, and wherein at least a portion of the CO 2 -depleted stream is used as the purge gas.

Assignees

• Exxonmobil Technology & Engineering Company

Inventors

• Sundaram Narasimhan
• Mccall Patrick P
• Keinath Brendon L
• Nagavarapu Ananda K

Classifications

• B01D53/0431 Primary

  Beds with radial gas flow · CPC title

• B01D53/0462

  Temperature swing adsorption · CPC title

• B01D53/08

  according to the "moving bed" method · CPC title

• B01D2253/204

  Metal organic frameworks (MOF's) · CPC title

• B01D2257/504

  Carbon dioxide · CPC title